PCB Chair Najam Sethi Says National Team Could Pull Out Over Security Concerns

Pakistan Cricket Board Chair Najam Sethi has "conceded that the national team may have to pull out of the forthcoming Asia Cup and World Twenty20 in Bangladesh owing to security concerns," according to the PTI. Sethi, who has "gone to witness the Pakistan and Sri Lanka matches" in Dubai, said that if the "foreign office advised the PCB not to send the team to Bangladesh, the board would have to comply." Sethi: "We are keeping the foreign office informed about the situation and our correspondence with the International Cricket Council and Bangladesh board and there could be different scenarios in the near future for our team." Reports said that "Sri Lanka, South Africa and India are being considered as alternate venues in case the ICC is forced to move the World T20 from Bangladesh next month." A PCB official has said that "if the Asia Cup is not held from late February it could be postponed for an indefinite period" as there is no "alternate venue in place now" for the event (PTI, 12/22).